James weir graydon



(No Model.)

J. W. GRAYDON.

HIGH EXPLOSIVE SHELL. No. 399,877. Patented Mar. 19, 1889. I

qwi cmeooeo 3441mm loz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES \VEIR GRAYDON, OF IVASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR TO ROBERT SOUTI'IIVORTH LAIVRENOE, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

HIGH-EXPLOSIVE SHELL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Batent No. 399,877, dated March 19; 1889.

Application filed October 9, 1888. Serial No. 287,629. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES WEIR GRAYDON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Vashington, in the District cf C0 lumbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in High-ExplosiveProj ectiles for Air-Guns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an improved highexplosive projectile for air-guns; and it has for its object to provide a projectile which can be conveniently and readily loaded and unloaded, and in which the density of the bursting-charge may be equalized throughout the length of the chargechamber.

In using dynamite or any kindred explosive containing nitro-glycerine in a powdergun precaution must be taken to guard the charge against heat and shock; but in using such an explosive with an air-gun obviously the necessity for this precaution does not exist. It is essential in point of safety, however, that the weight of the charge be distributed in the projectile,in order to prevent a dangerous condition assumed by the explosive when subjected to undue pressure. Moreover, the charge should be put up in such form that it may be conveniently handled in loading and unloading the projectile.

In another application for Letters Patent of the United States filed by me of even date herewith, Serial No. 287,630, I have described and claimed an improved high explosive charge for projectiles designed for torpedo and artillery use, in which the bursting-charge is inclosed in a small flexible tube adapted to be coiled within the projectile. This charge is well adapted for use in air-guns also, and is particularly suited to the projectile forming the subject-matter of the present application.

My invention will first be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then pointed out in the claims.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a longitudinal sectional view of the shell and an elevation of the charge coiled within it. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the support for the charge. Fig.

3 is an end view of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail view showing a portion of the charge.

Referring to the drawings, Arepresents the sh ell, formed with a longitudinal charge-chamber, A, the rear end of the shell being closed by a screw-threaded plug, I3.

In Fig. 3 I have shown my improved highexplosive charge above mentioned. This consists of a flexible tube, 0, inclosing the dynamite or other high explosive, E. The tube may be made of any suitable absorbent flexi- 6o ble material-such, for instance, as cotton or linen clothand of as small diameter as practicable. WVhen the charge thus put up is required for use, it is preferable to saturate the tube with nitric acid in order to convert it also into an explosive.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a support for the bursting-charge, which support consists of a perforated metal tube, T, closed at its upper end and open at its lower end, filled with a detonating-charge of fulminate of mercury or other like material, inclosed in paraffined paper (not seen) and a continuous spiral sheet-metal flange or vane, V, secured to the tube and extending throughout its length, the 7 5 vane also being perforated, as seen in Figs. 2 and 3.

To load the shell, I commence at one end of the support and wind the charge-tube upon it until the other end is reached and then wind back again, and so on,- winding back and forth until the charge-tube is of the full diameter of the vane. I then place the support within the shell, the open end of tube T downward, and screw the plug .13 into place. It will be seen that the vane serves to support the charge-tube in a series of a small number of coils, thus preventing undue weight and consequent density of the bursting-charge in any part of the shell. 0

I can use almost any kind of fuse with the shell, a very simple and eiit'ectivc form of time-f use being shown in Fig. 11, wherein b represents a hollow stud screwed into the inner side of plug B, the latter being formed 5 with a small conical projection or anvil, l. The upper end of the stud is recessed, as at 2, for the reception of a flange, f, on the upmercury cap, 0.

the cap will be exploded on the anvil, setting fire to the fuse, which,after burning one, two, or any other number of seconds to which it may have been cut, will ignite the fulminate of mercury in tube D, the explosion of which will detonate the bursting-charge, all of the coils of said charge being simultaneously reached and detonated by the gas through the perforations in the charge-support.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a high-explosive projectile for airguns, the con1binatio11,.with a shell, of a flexible tube containing the bursting-charge coiled within the shell, and devices for detonating said charge on the discharge of the gun, substantially as described.

2. In a high-explosive projectile for airguns, the combination, with a shell, of a rigid perforated tube containing the detonating charge extendinglongitudinally of the chargechamber, a flexible tube containing the bursting-charge coiled around said perforated tube,

and a device for firing the detonating-charge on the discharge of the gun, substantially as described. 4

3. In a high-explosive "projectile for airguns, the combination,with a shell, of arigid perforated tube containing the detonatingcharge extending longitudinally of the chargechamber and provided with a spiral flange, a flexible tube containing the bursting-charge coiled around said perforated tube between the spirals of the flange, and a device for firing the detonating-charge, substantially as described.

4. In a high-explosive projectile for airguns, the combination, with a shell, of a rigid perforated tube containing the detonatingcharge extending longitudinally of the chargechamber and provided with a perforated spiral flange, a flexible tube containing the bu rsting-charge coiled around said perforated tube between the spirals of the flange, and a device for firing the detonating-charge, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES WVEIR GRAYDON. Vitnesses:

WM. HUNTER MYERS, CHARLES F. ROBERTS. 

